[veagle]

Spending a long weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado with family. Had a good day today. Started off a little rainy. I went to Dillon Lake, where I saw Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, a number of Lark Sparrow, and a new bird:

August 14, Dillon Lake, CO

246. Bushtit

Next, walked along the creek in Breckenridge, where I saw Yellow Warbler, Cliff and Violet-Green Swallows, a White-crowned Sparrow, and my first Hummer of the year:

August 14, Breckenridge, CO

247. Broad-tailed Hummingbird

In the afternoon, we all went on a nice hike, where we saw a nice group of birds, including "Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Junco, House Wren, and the following:

August 14, Salt Lick Trail, Silverthorne, CO

248. Stellar's Jay
249. Rufous Hummingbird
250. Willow Flycatcher
251. American Three-toed Woodpecker
252. Western Wood-Pewee
253. Mountain Chickadee

[veagle]

Went on another hike today to the Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area. Saw many "Red-shafted" Northern Flickers, Hairy Woodpecker, lots of Juncos, a Stellar's Jay, a couple of House Wren, a Yellow Warbler, a number of Least Flycatchers, Mountain Chickadee, and one new bird, a couple of:

August 15, Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area, Silverthorne, CO

254. Wilson's Warbler

[veagle]

After dropping our son off at Denver International, we headed north to the Lower Latham Reservoir area. Our first stop was a small body of water, where we enjoyed views of Snowy Egret, American Avocet, some frenetic Black-necked Stilt, and American White Pellican, while being screamed at by a number of circling Swainson's Hawks. Our next stop was just south of the Reservoir, in a marshy area where we saw Great Egret, and three adolescent Marsh Wren, which were learning how to balance on barbed-wire fence.

Our next stop was along the same road where a small pond with extensive mud-flats found a group of 150 Franklin's Gulls, a female Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, Northern Shoveler, and a White-faced Ibis. A great area. On our way back to the highway for the return trip to Rapid City, we came across a small pasture with cattle, about 15 Cattle Egret, and a dozen or so Great-Tailed Grackle.

Stopped at Pawnee National Grasslands to try to find McCown's Longspurs, but found only about 700 Lark Bunting instead. All in all, Colorado provided some really nice birding.

August 16, Lower Latham Reservoir area, CO

255. Black-necked Stilt
256. Marsh Wren
257. Great-tailed Grackle
258. Baird's Sandpiper

[veagle]

Went out to Bear Butte Lake this morning. Highlights included watching immature Northern Harriers play, Wilson's Snipe, Least Sandpiper, Belted Kingfisher, and a very early female Bufflehead. Had one other notable:

August 23 - Bear Butte Lake

xxx. Greater White-Fronted Goose

Well, I just found out the geese were "raised in captivity", so I won't count them. Sorry 'bout that.

[veagle]

After returning from Colorado, I consulted with some friends regarding a picture of a Sandpiper I took. After a number of people examined it, the consensus is that it was a Western Sandpiper, which I will now add:

August 16, Lower Latham Reservoir, CO

259. Western Sandpiper

I have also attached a shot of the Great-tailed Grackle, taken the same day. I apologize for the quality of the shots.

[veagle]

A quiet time of the year, I am discovering. Went to a few locations within the Black Hills National Forest yesterday, highlights includied two Osprey greeting me at Pactola Reservoir, a pair of House Wrens, Grey Catbird, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. No new birds.

Today, I went late afternoon to a small park within Rapid City. Very quiet, but I did get a really good look at a bird I've been looking for, and one that I had only seen twice before.

August 30, Hall Park, Rapid City, SD

260. Red-eyed Vireo

[veagle]

Drove to Hot Springs, SD early this morning. A cemetary there has the only Lesser Goldfinches in South Dakota, and I got several good views. Made a few other stops in the area, with highlights including lots of Mountain Bluebirds, a Hairy Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwings, about 60 White-throated Swifts, a Yellow-breasted Chat, and a number of Red-tailed Hawks. The icing on the cake was my first view of a bird I have been looking for all summer:

September 5 - Hot Springs, SD

261. Lesser Goldfinch
262. Prairie Falcon

[veagle]

I've been in central South Dakota for the last three days, for business meetings, and have managed to do some birding early and late. Visited a few locations, highlights included 75 American White Pelicans, hundreds of Western Grebes, numerous Great and Snowy Egrets, Long-billed Dowitchers, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, large numbers of Franklin's Gulls, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk, all seen at Red Lake. Visiting the nearby Boyer Game Production (a strange term) Area, I spotted a Red-headed Woodpecker, and a number of Bell's Vireos. White Lake yielded Barn Swallows, Black Terns and a White-faced Ibis, and had three sightings of Cattle Egrets, one of 200!

But the highlight for me was my first sighting of a great little Warbler. I was lucky enough to sit in my car 10 feet from a thicket where a handful of these birds gave me great looks. Unfortunately forgot my camera.

September 16 - Red Lake, SD

263. Nashville Warbler

[veagle]

A busy weekend. Yesterday I led a birding outing for our local club - my first time. It was reasonably sucessful, as I worked hard to produce great weather. And we saw one of our primary targets - Burrowing Owl, which live in Prairie dog villages. Also saw White-crowned, Clay-colored, and Field Sparrows, and Orange-Crowned Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.

Today, got a call from a friend tipping me to the presence of some shorebirds at Sevey Lake. I went over late in the day. It was so windy, I couldn't use my tripod, but rather took my scope off the tripod and used it propped up against the car window. Was able to see 7 Long-billed Dowitchers and:

September 27 - Sevey Lake, SD

264. Pectoral Sandpiper

[veagle]

Had some good birding this weekend despite ridiculously cold, wintry weather. It's been snowing most of the weekend, with temperatures in the 20s (F). Yesterday, I went out to Sevey Lake, found it mostly frozen over. Did get some good looks at a Prairie Falcon, and and a Northern Harrier. This morning, I went for a quick look at Canyon Lake, where some of the wintering birds are arriving. Saw my first Hooded Mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks of the season, along with Common Merganser, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Redhead, and a Pied-billed Grebe.

Then, late in the day, I drove to an area by the local airport that I had never visited before. Again the weather was miserable, but I lucked out with a Northern Harrier, some Horned Larks, a handful of Savannah Sparrows, a few Red-winged Blackbirds, which I thought had all left the area, and best of all, a new bird for me:

Oct. 11 - Near Rapid City Airport

265. Rusty Blackbird

[veagle]

Went to Bear Butte Lake in the morning, looking for Gray Partridge. Spent quite a while looking, then scanned the lake, finding Western Grebe, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher, among others. Then walking around a small pond, I flushed a group of about 10 Gray Partridges. Been looking for them for a while.

October 17 - Bear Butte Lake, SD

266. Gray Partridge

[veagle]

Got a call yesterday from a friend who observed a Surf Scoter about 55 miles east of Rapid City, in the wonderful town of Wall (of Wall Drugs fame). Drove out early this morning arrived at the sewage lagoon at dawn, and there it was. An adolescent, this bird has only been seen in Western South Dakota four or five times. Other birds seen included Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead and Northern Shoveler. Drove the hour back to Rapid City, and was in my office by 8:30. Great way to start the day.

October 19 - Wall Sewage Lagoon, SD

267. Surf Scoter

[veagle]

I have been getting reports of sightings of Harris's Sparrows recently, and have been totally unsucessfull in finding it until today. Ironically, I was watching some football on the TV, and looked out under our feeders, and saw an unfamiliar sparrow. Sure enough, a first winter Harris's.

October 25 - Rapid City, SD

268. Harris's Sparrow

[veagle]

In California for a few days, split between business and birding. A more complete account at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....75#post1629375.

October 27, 2009 Along the Palms to Pines Highway, California

269. Western Scrub-Jay
270. Acorn Woodpecker
271. Western Bluebird
272. California Quail
273. Oak Titmouse
274. Pygmy Nuthatch

[veagle]

At the Salton Sea, for a marathon day with Henry Detwiler from Southwestern Birding. A description of the day is at : http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....75#post1629375

October 30 - Salton Sea, California

275. Anna's Hummingbird
276. Phainopepla
277. Abert's Towhee
278. Black Phoebe
279. Clark's Grebe
280. Gambel's Quail
281. Common Moorhen
282. Gila Woodpecker
283. Cactus Wren
284. Verdin

[veagle]

At the Salton Sea, for a marathon day with Henry Detwiler from Southwestern Birding. A description of the day is at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread....57#post1635157

October 30 - Salton Sea, California

285. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
286. Brewer's Sparrow
287. Greater Roadrunner
288. Brown Pelican
289. Peregrine Falcon

[veagle]

At the Salton Sea, for a marathon day with Henry Detwiler from Southwestern Birding. A description of the day is at http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=155532

October 30 - Salton Sea, California

290. Heerman's Gull
291. Yellow-footed Gull
292. Inca Dove
293. Common Ground-Dove
294. White-tailed Kite

[veagle]

At the Salton Sea, for a marathon day with Henry Detwiler from Southwestern Birding. A description of the day is at http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=155532

October 30 - Salton Sea, California

295. Greater White-fronted Goose
296. Sandhill Crane
297. Sora
298. Virginia Rail
299. Ross's Goose
300. Vermilion Flycatcher

[veagle]

Had some first of Season birds this weekend: Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, and Townsend's Solitaire. But the highlight was:

November 15 - Bear Butte Lake

301. Greater Scaup

[veagle]

I'm in Pierre, the state capital of SD for the weekend meeting of the South Dakota Ornithological Union. Had a short outing this morning - focused on locating a Red-throated Loon, that had been seen a bit north of here during the last few days, but maybe seen only half a dozen times in SD. A cold, blustery day, and the wind was making it difficult to scan the water, but shortly after arriving, several of us get a quick glimpse of the Loon, after wich we are unable to re-locate it. But we also see another lifer for me, as well as Eared and Western Grebes, and a Bald Eagle. Went back late in the day to try to re-locate the Loon. No wind, water like glass, but no luck. Good day anyway. Picture of the Grebe attached.

November 21 - Cow Creek Recreation Area, SD

302. Red-throated Loon
303. Red-necked Grebe

[veagle]

Today was the second day of the SDOU meeting. I drove down with a small group to the Big Bend Dam, south of Pierre along the Missouri River. Lots of gulls, and waterfowl, and a few surprises. Our first stop turned out to be the most productive, as we saw both Thayer's and Glaucous Gulls on the first visit, and picked up 5 Snow Buntings on the last stop of the morning. In between, we saw lots of Double-crested Cormorants, Bonaparte's Gulls, and Common and Hooded Mergansers, along with a handful of Bald Eagles. A nice morning.

November 22 - Big Bend Dam, SD

304. Thayer's Gull
305. Glaucous Gull
306. Snow Bunting